Giovanni van Bronckhorst
| image = Giovanni van Bronckhorst 2011.jpg | image_size = | caption = Van Bronckhorst pictured in 2011 | alt = | height = | birth_date = | birth_place = Rotterdam, Netherlands | position = Midfielder / Left back | currentclub = Feyenoord (manager) | youthyears1 = 1981–1982 | youthclubs1 = LMO Rotterdam | youthyears2 = 1982–1993 | youthclubs2 = Feyenoord | years1 = 1993–1998 | years2 = 1993–1994 | years3 = 1998–2001 | years4 = 2001–2003 | years6 = 2003–2007 | years7 = 2007–2010 | clubs1 = Feyenoord | clubs2 = → RKC Waalwijk (loan) | clubs3 = Rangers | clubs4 = Arsenal | clubs6 = Barcelona | clubs7 = Feyenoord | caps1 = 103 | caps2 = 12 | caps3 = 73 | caps4 = 42 | caps6 = 105 | caps7 = 88 | goals1 = 22 | goals2 = 2 | goals3 = 13 | goals4 = 2 | goals6 = 5 | goals7 = 8 | totalcaps = 422 | totalgoals = 52 | nationalyears1 = 1996–2010 | nationalteam1 = Netherlands | nationalcaps1 = 107 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | medaltemplates = }} | manageryears1 = 2010–2011 | manageryears2 = 2011–2015 | manageryears3 = 2015– | managerclubs1 = Netherlands U-21 (assistant manager) | managerclubs2 = Feyenoord (assistant manager) | managerclubs3 = Feyenoord }} Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst OON ( ; born 5 February 1975 in Rotterdam), also known by his nickname Gio, is a retired Dutch footballer and the current manager at Feyenoord. Formerly a midfielder, he moved to left back later in his career. During his club career, Van Bronckhorst played for RKC Waalwijk (1993–94), Feyenoord (1994–98), Rangers (1998–2001), Arsenal (2001–03), Barcelona (2003–07) and again Feyenoord (2007–10). He was an instrumental player in Barcelona's 2005–06 UEFA Champions League victory, being in the starting line-up of the final, having played every Champions League match for Barcelona that season. He earned 106 caps for the Netherlands national team, and played for his country in three World Cups (1998, 2006 and 2010), as well as three European Championships (2000, 2004 and 2008). After captaining the Oranje in the 2010 World Cup final, he was elected into the Order of Orange-Nassau. Club career Childhood and early career Van Bronckhorst was born in Rotterdam to Victor van Bronckhorst, an Indonesian-Dutch, and Fransien Sapulette, an Indonesian mother.Autobiography entry: The Early Years 1975–1990 – Giovanni van Bronkhorst Official Site He began playing for a local amateur youth team in Rotterdam, Linker Maas Oever from the age of six, joining the youth academy at Feyenoord the following year. In 1990, aged 15, the club offered him a professional contract, which he accepted. He won the Dutch Youth League with Feyenoord in 1991, but struggled to break into the first team.Autobiography entry: Making it at Feyenoord 1990–1996 – Giovanni van Bronkhorst Official Site He was loaned out to RKC Waalwijk, making his league debut in 1993. He returned to Feyenoord for the 1994–95 season, but was used as a fringe player, making only ten appearances for the club. 1995–96 was his breakthrough season, as he started almost every game for Feyenoord, playing alongside the likes of Regi Blinker and Henrik Larsson. He also made his debut for the national Olympic team in 1996, although they failed to qualify for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was given his first full international cap in August 1996, being given a starting place by Guus Hiddink in the [[Netherlands national football team|''Oranje's]] lineup to face Brazil in a friendly at the Amsterdam Arena.Autobiography entry:Playing for Holland 1996–1998 – Giovanni van Bronkhorst Official Site He was part of the Netherlands squad for the 1998 World Cup, but did not play during the tournament. Domestically, with Feyenoord failing to break the PSV-Ajax stranglehold on the Eredivisie for the fourth year in a row, and major players such as Henrik Larsson leaving the team, Van Bronckhorst began to search for a new club. He chose to join up with Dick Advocaat (his former manager at international U-16 and U-18 level) at Rangers, joining the club in 1998, with fees reported to be £5 million, and £5.5 million. Rangers Van Bronckhorst was already a regular international when he signed for Rangers in 1998, joining up with compatriot Dick Advocaat, the Scottish club's new manager. In his first competitive game for Rangers, a remarkable UEFA Cup tie away to League of Ireland side Shelbourne (although played at Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park), Van Bronckhorst marked his debut with a finely-struck goal, as Rangers came back from 3–0 down to win the match 5–3. Van Bronckhorst went on to score 22 goals for Rangers (13 in the league, three in the Scottish Cup, one in the Scottish League Cup, three in the Champions League and two in the UEFA Cup), mostly as a play-making midfielder of notable skill and subtlety, before joining Arsenal for a fee of £8.5 million, signing a five-year contract. Arsenal Arsène Wenger had signed Van Bronckhorst to replace the midfield void, left by the departure of Emmanuel Petit from Arsenal, and he was expected to partner Patrick Vieira in the centre. His period at Arsenal, however, was marked by a cruciate knee ligament injury, which saw him sidelined after only a few months at the club. Van Bronckhorst, despite such still won with Arsenal, the Premier League of 2002 and the FA Cup of 2003. In all, he made a sum of 64 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 2 goals. Barcelona As the 2003–04 season approached, Van Bronckhorst had the opportunity to move to Barcelona and work with new boss Frank Rijkaard on a one-year loan, with a view to a permanent transfer. After adapting to his new role as a left-back, he helped Barça to a revival in the second half of the season. In May 2004, Van Bronckhorst completed his move from Arsenal to Barcelona for a fee of €2 million, signing a three-year deal. He won the La Liga title with Barça in the 2004–05 season after some of his finest displays together with four goals to his credit. In 2005–06, he helped his club repeat as Liga champions while winning the 2006 Champions League as well (he was the only player who participated in all Champions League matches that season). In Spain, he used "Gio" as the name on his shirt. Return to Feyenoord Van Bronckhorst had a year remaining on his Barcelona contract in 2007, but returned to Feyenoord on 27 June 2007 due to a clause in his contract saying he could join that the people's club on a free transfer. He became a pivotal member of the Eredivisie team's squad, proving to be something of a rock in an injury-hit side. At the beginning of his first season in Rotterdam, coach Bert van Marwijk made Van Bronckhorst captain. As captain, Van Bronckhorst led De Stadionclub to silverware, in Feyenoord winning 2-0 over Roda JC to lift the KNVB Cup of 2008. International career Van Bronckhorst made his national team debut in August 1996 at the FNB Stadium (now known as Soccer City) in a match against South Africa and went on to earn 106 caps, including three World Cup and three European Championship campaigns. He did not appear in the 1998 World Cup and only saw limited action in Euro 2000 as cover for left-back Arthur Numan. He began and finished his international career in the same stadium. Euro 2004 Later national team coaches, however, appreciated Van Bronckhorst's left-back capabilities, most notably Dick Advocaat, who played him for the Netherlands in the Euro 2004 competition in Portugal. The Dutch team reached the semi-finals of the tournament when the host team, Portugal, eliminated them. 2006 World Cup Van Bronckhorst was a regular in the national team for the 2006 World Cup qualification campaign. In the round of 16 match against Portugal (see Battle of Nuremberg), however, he received a red card in a match that saw four red cards given, a World Cup record. There was an unusual scene in which Van Bronckhorst was sitting in the stands next to his Barcelona teammate at the time, Deco of Portugal, who had also been sent off. Euro 2008 Van Bronckhorst scored the winning goal in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Slovenia on 28 March 2007. The Netherlands won the match 1–0. On 9 June 2008, while playing in a 3–0 victory over Italy in Euro 2008, he assisted in the second goal scored by the Netherlands and also scored the third goal, after running all the way from the back. For the second goal, he first cleared the ball off his own line and ran deep into the Italian half, then received the ball and crossed it to Dirk Kuyt who headed it down to Wesley Sneijder to slot between the post and the advancing Gianluigi Buffon. He later even scored another one himself to condemn the world champions to an embarrassing defeat. Prior to Euro 2008, captain Edwin van der Sar had announced his intention to retire from international football after the tournament and played his last game as captain in the 3–1 quarter-final loss to Russia; Van Bronckhorst was selected to succeed the goalkeeper as captain of the national team. , Gregory van der Wiel and Demy de Zeeuw).]] 2010 World Cup Van Bronckhorst was included in the Netherlands' preliminary squad for the tournament, and on 27 May 2010, Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk announced that he would be part of the final squad of 23, and would serve as the team captain. In the semi-final against Uruguay, he scored the opening goal of the match which the Netherlands won 3–2. The powerful long-range strike, which rose into Fernando Muslera's top left-hand corner, is widely considered to be one of the best goals in World Cup history. Van Bronckhorst's final game for the Netherlands and as a professional footballer came in the World Cup final against Spain. He was substituted in the 105th minute for Edson Braafheid with the score 0–0, only for Andrés Iniesta to condemn the Dutch to a defeat, scoring the only goal of the game in the 116th minute. After ending the tournament as runners-up, Van Bronckhorst stated that he was proud of what the team had achieved. International goals Career statistics * * played in 2003 Community Shield matches.'' Managerial career Having retired at the end of the 2009–10 season prior to the 2010 World Cup, it was announced on 21 July 2011 that Van Bronckhorst would assist newly appointed Feyenoord manager Ronald Koeman, alongside fellow ex-Feyenoord player Jean-Paul van Gastel. Feyenoord finished the season second behind Ajax, qualifying for the 2012–13 Champions League. On 23 March 2015, it was announced that Van Bronckhorst would be the new manager of Feyenoord after Fred Rutten would leave at the end of that season. In his first full season, he guided Feyenoord to winning the KNVB Cup of 2016, as they defeated FC Utrecht 2 goals to 1 in the final. In his second season, he won the Eredivisie title, after an 18-year hiatus for Feyenoord.Kuyt en Feyenoord schrijven historie - AD Managerial statistics Honours , Khalid Boulahrouz and Phillip Cocu in 2010.]] Player Rangers *Scottish Premier League: 1998−99, 1999−2000 *Scottish Cup: 1998−99, 1999−2000 *League Cup: 1998 Arsenal *Premier League: 2001−02 *FA Cup: 2002−03 *FA Community Shield: 2003 – Runner's Up Medal Barcelona *La Liga: 2004–05, 2005−06 *Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006 *UEFA Champions League: 2005−06 Feyenoord *KNVB Cup: 1994−95, 2007−08 International *FIFA World Cup: 2010 – Runner's Up Medal *European Football Championship semi-finalist: 2000, 2004 Managerial Feyenoord * Eredivisie: 2016–17 * KNVB Cup: 2015–16 Personal *Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2010) References External links *Van Bronckhorst at FC Barcelona English Speaking Supporters Fansite *Voetbal International profile * * * *Official Twitter * }} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Rotterdam Category:Expatriate footballers in England Category:Expatriate footballers in Scotland Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Dutch expatriate footballers Category:Dutch footballers Category:Dutch people of Indonesian descent Category:Dutch people of Moluccan descent Category:Indo people Category:Netherlands international footballers Category:Eredivisie players Category:RKC Waalwijk players Category:Feyenoord players Category:Rangers F.C. players Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:La Liga players Category:Premier League players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:FC Barcelona players Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players Category:UEFA Euro 2000 players Category:UEFA Euro 2004 players Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players Category:Association football utility players Category:FIFA Century Club Category:Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau Category:Dutch expatriates in England Category:Dutch expatriates in Scotland Category:Dutch expatriates in Spain Category:Dutch football managers Category:Feyenoord managers Category:UEFA Champions League winning players